Covers Change, Essence Endures

The Effect of Aesthetic Perception on Books Over Time

In the twenty-first century, capitalism is everywhere. It shapes our lives. We cannot help but see its traces in literature. This is not a one-sided process, of course. The buyer/reader is as important as the seller. Those whose desire to possess something drives them to extremes are defeated, and when they become the majority, new norms are established. Styles are defined and new creations emerge. This is most notably achieved by changing aesthetic perception. We can see an example of this on book covers.

Having written about this topic several times before, this time I will take a broader view of covers, but I will remind you that they are the most obvious factor. If you are interested in this topic, here is another related article:

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The Visual Identity of a Book

Reading begins with the cover and the market power of designThere are many factors that influence our book purchases, and these vary from person to person. Of course, we may want to buy a particular book or read more works by a favourite author. However, the reasons behind our purchases are not always so clear-cut. In such cases, the intrigue of the book's title or the associations it evokes may also be important factors. In my opinion, there is another factor that is even more important than th

I asked myself why I kept coming back to this topic. The answer was simple: I love visiting bookshops.

There is a café in Beyoğlu that I adore. The interior is wonderful — bright and filled with the aroma of coffee. It's always packed with people. And the books! Most of the books are in English and seem to be on display rather than for sale. They are the café's main attraction. They are carefully arranged on a large rectangular table in the centre and on wide shelves that cover the entire wall. Almost everyone's first stop is the tiny square metres I mentioned rather than the seating areas inside. People happily push through the crowd and move towards the shelves, never taking their eyes off the books. Heads rarely lift and eyes occasionally meet, but it is these books that rule the senses.

So why are they so magical? They are colourful, attractive and aesthetically pleasing. During my sporadic but frequent visits, I observed the wall as if encountering a different tableau each time: a display of books in a variety of colours, sizes and designs. However, I felt that something was wrong; it struck my heart rather than my eyes. When I heard a similar comment from my friend, who was with me at the time, we decided to conduct a small experiment.

Whenever we went there, we would stand in front of the wall of books for a while. We would listen carefully to see what had caught the attention of the visitors who had stopped to browse. It soon became clear that the vast majority weren't interested in the author or title. They would pick up books at random, exclaiming, “Look at this! How beautiful!” in an exaggerated manner, before quickly putting them back on the shelf.

The strange thing was that, when you took a few steps back and examined the wall as a whole, it seemed almost unattractive. Something was missing or wrong. It was as if there was too much content, and we didn't want to spend long looking at it.

Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash

Browsing a few interesting books and breathing in the scent of their pages is a very pleasant experience. These are emotional interactions. However, these interactions are also fleeting and don't change our opinion of the book or provide any real insight. Do we choose a book because it feels nice to touch? My brain says no, but the more I observe people examining books, the more I think the answer could be yes.

Just to reiterate, the books I discuss are in English. I would like to share with you the link to the “Most Popular Books Published” page on the Goodreads website. According to the description, these are the books that Goodreads members have added to their libraries most frequently, and the list is updated weekly. Take a quick look at the book covers by clicking on any month.

Regardless of genre, theme, publisher or author, you will notice that the covers feature a variety of striking, garish colours. There is almost no preference for muted colours. The design is exaggerated. The authors' and book titles are also huge. If the colours alone are not effective, it could be said that the abstract style of the design takes centre stage.

There's no need to dwell on this point: books have been marketed on their visual appeal for quite some time now. It's the colours and shapes on the cover that play the main role, rather than the quality of the content.

But what if it's not just that? How could an opportunist take this further? Something different is needed.

Edge painting... You may have come across it before. These gilded edges “set the book apart from others”. It's as if the book's name and reputation have changed; as if the author has gained a lofty title; and as if you now possess a powerful artefact in your library. In my opinion, the book ceases to be just a book and evolves into an “object to be acquired”.

Unnecessary bindings are another matter. I'm not referring to those released with a new edition every ten or twenty-five years to honour the author. Although some of you may see them in this light. Classic works whose copyright has expired are re-released with fancy new covers. Of course, classics should reach more people, but this shouldn't be achieved by taking advantage of the situation or emptying people's pockets. We know that's exactly what's happening. Decorations, border paintings, thick bindings, colours and designs that are considered appropriate for this century or the majority of readers are becoming much more important. The mass producer wins, while the content of the book loses out. This creates readers who buy unconsciously and flock to books simply because they look beautiful.

Photo by Zooey Li on Unsplash

I'm not saying that I expect anyone to buy books with plain designs. Books in a series naturally tend to follow the same design pattern, but with interesting variations. This is not difficult to understand. However, publishing houses that prioritise popularity and profit, especially those that reprint classics, have insincere and bland aims. If their main goal is to encourage widespread reading and contribute to literary and cultural development — a principle that most publishing houses accept as their duty — they must avoid hypocrisy.

We haven't discussed the differences between local and international book designs yet, but these are also quite evident. Some translated books are sold with the same cover — and perhaps others as well. Apart from local changes (book title, cultural appropriateness, etc.), the cover remains identical. This may be to preserve originality, but I believe the main reasons are likely to be cost savings and practicality. Conversely, the fact that many well-known works (such as the “Harry Potter” series) have retained their nostalgic design and kept the same cover in many different languages for years creates a positive impression. This is because it reflects the spirit of the times. One factor that makes this possible is the ability to recognise the book even before reading it.

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Let's avoid any misunderstandings as we conclude. Since innovation is inevitable, we can safely assume that new designs will emerge. However, I take issue with those who do this solely for profit by appealing to people's transient aesthetic sensibilities — or even creating them — with uniform, crude covers that overshadow the book itself.

Nevertheless, there are ways to escape this consumer frenzy. The authentic atmosphere of second-hand bookshops instantly erases the artificiality of modern prints, for instance. Even if I continue to visit that café, I know not to be captivated by the books there, so I just glance at them. It is far more meaningful and educational to discuss and debate the author and the book than to fixate on what is in front of me.